Man Sets Wife and Two Kids Ablaze Before Taking His Own Life — Police Launch Inquest

South Africa has once again been thrown into mourning after a man allegedly set his wife and two young children ablaze inside a car — before taking poison to end his own life.

The shocking incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, October 24, 2025, in the Boekehouthoek area near Kwaggafontein, Mpumalanga.

Police say the charred remains of 32-year-old Lucia Thembisile Mahiyane and her children, Bokamoso (7) and Karabo (4), were discovered inside a burnt-out vehicle.

According to SAPS spokesperson Jabu Ndubane, the suspect, 37, had earlier confessed to his uncle that he killed his family by setting their car on fire at Zithabiseni Bridge. When officers arrived at his grandparents’ home, they found him foaming at the mouth — an apparent result of ingesting poison. He died before emergency services could save him.

Provincial Commissioner Major-General Zeph Mkhwanazi condemned the act, calling it “a heartbreaking reminder of the crisis of domestic violence” ravaging South African homes.

Authorities have opened three counts of murder and an inquest docket, as investigations continue into what drove the man to commit such a horrific act.